As a new mum, I remember my daughter used to spend HOURS in her bouncer seat. She absolutely loved hers! And what baby doesn’t? But while baby bouncers are certainly fun for the little one, safety concerns often make some parents shy away from getting one for their little humans. In those early days of being a new mum, having a safe and comfortable place to put our daughter while I tackled the never ending number of tasks was worth its weight in gold. But there was always the bouncer seat safety aspect niggling away at me in the back of my mind.
The bottom line is, that you need to use bouncer seats correctly to avoid putting your baby’s life at risk. If you’re looking forward to get a baby bouncer for your little person, let’s look at some bouncer seat safety measures to take into account even as you go shopping for one.
Always Supervise The Child While Using The Seat
With baby brain at large, there’s always the possibility that you may be so engrossed in what you’re doing that you momentarily forgot that you put your little in the bouncer seat. We’ve all been there! However, if you’re using a bouncer seat, you should frequently check on the baby to ensure they’re still happy and comfortable. As we know a baby’s situation can change VERY quickly.
Never Leave The Baby To Sleep in The Bouncer Seat
While it could be comfortable for your baby to sleep in the bouncer seat, there are risks involved. As tempting as doing this might sound, one of the risks is that their heads could sink deeply into the bouncer seat and suffocate them. With that said, ensure that you remove the little one from the bouncer and place them in a proper place to sleep.
Never Use The Bouncer Seat On a Raised Place
We all know that babies often get excited and jumpy. Because they’re still not aware of the heights and risks involved, it’s your responsibility to ensure their safety. Therefore, strictly use the bouncer seat on the floor to prevent the baby from falling. Putting them up on a table is a big no no.
Limit The Time In The Bouncer Seat
It’s tempting to leave the baby in the bouncer seat for as long as they don’t complain. However, the bouncer seat should just be used for a short period of time. If you want them to rest on the bouncer seat for a longer period of time, you’d still need to remove them from them from bouncer seat after every 20-30 minutes. .
Position the Baby Comfortably
When the baby’s chin is tucked too close to the chest, your baby may experience constriction in the airways and experience difficulty breathing. Again, be sure to avoid any obstructions near their face. When sitting them down in the bouncer seat, ensure that they’re as comfortable as possible. And above all trust your mama instincts – they will let you know if your bubba is comfortable or not.
Alternate The Baby’s Head Position
Letting your baby put weight on the same area of their head for a long time can make a baby develop a flat spot on their head since their bones are still soft and malleable. For this reason, alternate the baby’s head position from time to time.
Stop Using The Bouncer Seat If The Baby Can Sit
Once your baby can sit, it means they can easily make stronger movements. Placing them in a bouncer seat at such an age would put them at a serious risk of falling as they try to move. Instead of using a bouncer seat, try switching for a sit up seat.
We used a bouncer seat for our daughter since she was a newborn, and she then really enjoyed it right up until the age of six months. But as much as babies do enjoy them, you do really have to be mindful of these bouncer seat safety points.
Did you find this bouncer seat safety information useful? Do leave a comment and share.
This was really useful, thanks. With our eldest, a bouncer was the only thing that would let us do anything without him on us! I didn’t realise about needing to move his head position though!